Bandai Namco is shutting down anime MMO Blue Protocol, western version cancelled
Bandai Namco has announced that its MMORPG Blue Protocol will be shut down next year, and its long-awaited Western release in partnership with Amazon Games has been canceled.
The details:
Blue Protocol was announced in 2022, and it quickly became a highly anticipated release due to a lack of innovative MMORPGs in recent years. Following a series of betas in various regions, the game was officially released in Japan in June 2023, with a western release planned for a later date. However, it was unable to retain its player base and received mixed feedback due to its gameplay systems and lack of content.
Bandai Namco has now announced that the game is being shut down on January 18, 2025, in Japan, and the planned western release has been canceled entirely. “We regret to inform you that the Japanese version of Blue Protocol will be discontinued on Saturday January 18, 2025,” the statement reads. “As a result, we have also canceled our plans to release a Western version of the game in collaboration with Amazon Games. We have enjoyed a strong relationship with Amazon Games throughout the development of Blue Protocol, and both of our teams are disappointed that we will not be able to deliver the game to players around the world.”
The developer stated that the reason for the closure is that it believes it will be unable to "provide a service that satisfies" all players, and it concluded its statement by apologizing to fans. Despite the closure of Blue Protocol, Amazon Games continues to operate two MMORPGs: Nexon's Lost Ark and its own title, New World.
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